How To Make A Spatchcock Chicken For An Elegant Dinner
If you are looking for something special to make for dinner, consider cooking a spatchcock chicken. It is a dish with a funny name that may sound difficult, but it is really quite easy. Whether you are preparing dinner for family or for company, this is a way of cooking chicken that is sure to bring you a lot of compliments.
In reality a spatchcock chicken is just a chicken that has been butterflied. It is best to have a very fresh chicken and a young one. If you prefer, your butcher can butterfly the chicken for you. But if this is something you have not done before, you may find it interesting to learn, as it is not hard.
In order to do the spatchcock operation, it will be necessary to have poultry shears. If you have one of the large and elaborate kitchen knife sets, these shears may be a part of it. If not, purchasing them on their own will be a good investment, as they are handy for a variety of cooking tasks.
Put the chicken on a cutting board in front of you, breast side down against the board. Using the shears, cut alongside the backbone, cutting right through the ribs, on both sides of the backbone, along the entire length of the chicken. Lift the backbone piece free, to be discarded or saved for making stock or used in another recipe.
Turn the chicken breast side up on the cutting board, pulling apart what is now the underside where you cut out the backbone. Apply pressure to the breastbone, using the heel of your hand, until it breaks completely the length of the chicken, allowing the chicken to be flattened. This can be done as much as a day ahead of time, especially if you wish to marinate the chicken overnight using your favorite marinade.
When ready to cook the chicken, place it in a roasting pan, breast side up, making sure it is totally flat and the pan is large enough to hold the flattened chicken. Then roast the chicken at 375 F degrees for about 50 minutes, until the temperature of the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165 degrees fahrenheit. The chicken should be nicely browned and the meat should be juicy throughout, including the breast, using this cooking method.
Let the chicken rest for a few minutes, then carve it into pieces. A Wusthof knife set or other good brand will usually have a carving knife that is perfect for this job. Present the carved chicken on a serving platter, garnished as desired. Then enjoy your elegant dinner, along with the compliments you are bound to receive on this delicious dish.
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